Hancock Park

Hancock Park is one of Los Angeles’s most exclusive and affluent neighborhoods. Located centrally between downtown and the beach, Hancock Park is a favorite of many. Built around the grounds of a private golf club, Hancock Park has one of the lowest population densities in the county.

The Wilshire Ebell Theatre is a beautiful theatre built in 1927. Upcoming shows include performances by Elvis Costello, Efim Alexandrov, and the ’80s band Squeeze.

You may know Mood from the television show Project Runway. Whether you’re a designer or simply looking for the perfect fabric for home’s curtains, definitely stop by Mood.

One of the hottest new restaurants in Los Angeles, Republique, is located in Hancock Park. I recommend, firstly reservations, the Gioia Burrata Crostini, Glidden Point oysters, and the Arugula Cavatelli.

The Los Angeles Tennis Club is a wonderful asset to the neighborhood, great for a doubles match, or a swim in their Olympic-sized pool.

Strolling or driving down the streets in Hancock Park, you might see an English country estate, a French chateau and a Mediterranean mansion all within the same block.

A high percentage of these homes were built by historic and notable architects like Paul Williams, A.C. Chisholm, and John Austin, in the 1920s when the neighborhood was founded by G. Allan Hancock. Yes, the namesake for this majestic neighborhood.

And then, of course, there’s the Wilshire Country Club. Founded in 1919 and designed by Norman Macbeth as a links golf course with a natural stream running throughout, it’s one of the toughest courses in the states and certainly the most beautiful in Southern California.

Demographics

The 2000 U.S. census counted 9,804 residents in the 1.59-square-mile neighborhood—an average of 6,459 people per square mile, including the expanse of the Wilshire Country Club. That figure gave Hancock Park one of the lowest densities in Los Angeles. In 2008, the city estimated that the population had increased to 10,671. The median age for residents was 37, considered old when compared with the city as a whole; the percentages of residents aged 35 and above were among the county’s highest.

Hancock Park was moderately diverse ethnically. The breakdown was whites, 70.7%; Asians, 13.1%; Latinos, 8.5%; blacks, 3.8%, and others, 3.9%. Korea and the Philippines were the most common places of birth for the 26.3% of the residents who were born abroad, a figure that was considered low compared to rest of the city.

Near the studios, including Paramount on Melrose Avenue, the community’s history as a home to stars and other employees of the industry is as old as the neighborhood itself. Keystone Cops chases were filmed on Larchmont Boulevard. The 1936 Three Stooges film False Alarms used both Third Street and Larchmont Boulevard. Today many of the local homes are used to film commercials and movies. The 1983 film War Games utilized a home at Lucerne and Second Street as a major backdrop and set. Past prominent Hancock Park residents have included millionaire Howard Hughes, entertainers Mae West and Nat King Cole, Broadway Department Store magnate Arthur Letts, Jr., architect William Pereira. Current residents include Lana del Rey, Melanie Griffith, and Tavis Smiley.

Architecture

Notable residences in the area include homes by Paul Williams, who was the personal architect for stars such as Frank Sinatra, Lon Chaney, and Lucille Ball. Many homes feature European revival styles that were popular in the 1920’s.

A.C. Chisholm is another notable architect that built in the area. Homes include the French Chateau on Rimpau Blvd. and the Ahmanson residence.. Another home on Rimpau Blvd. was designed by John Austin, the same architect who built Los Angeles City Hall and the Griffith Park Observatory.